NCAA

Photo: Western Michigan University forward and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Frederik Tiffels has been a fixture on Germany’s national team for the past five seasons (courtesy of Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)

A recent staple in international play for Germany, Frederik Tiffels has been playing in North America for several years now, having played three seasons of USHL hockey before beginning his NCAA career. This is a route rarely taken by German hockey players.Read more»

Photo: Team Canada forward Tyler Benson will have the role of an alternate captain at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, as he did for the Canada Black squad at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge (courtesy of Aaron Bell/CHL Images)

By June of 2016, a large number of the young men who will be participating in this week’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia will be the focus next year’s NHL Draft. The historical tournament will feature what are nominally considered the world’s eight best ice hockey nations divided into the following two groups:Read more»

Photo: Ottawa Senators first round pick at the 2015 NHL Draft, forward Colin White, will move on from the U.S. NTDP program to play for Boston College starting in the Fall (courtesy of Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Despite yet another gold medal at the U18 World Championship, this time around in Zug, Switzerland, the U.S. NTDP saw relatively few players taken at the 2015 NHL Draft. To a degree that can be accredited to having a number of key players on the team who will first be eligible for the 2016 draft, including no less than captain Luke Kunin, top scorer Auston Matthews, Matt Tkachuk, Clayton Keller, Chad Krys, and Jamie McAvoy. As many as three of these players are looking like surefire first round picks for next summer’s draft. Read more»

Photo: Boston College defenseman and New Jersey Devils prospect Steve Santini will look to bounce back from an injury-shortened 2014-15 campaign when the Eagles begin their 2015-16 season in the Fall (courtesy of Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)

They were both drafted in the 2013 NHL Draft by the host team, the New Jersey Devils. Santini was a skilled defenseman taken in the second round on his way to a prestigious college hockey program. Meanwhile, Wood was a relatively unknown forward selected in the fourth round who was still playing in prep school. Read more»

Photo: U.S. NTDP forward Auston Matthews and Sarnia Sting defenseman Jakob Chychrun are the top two North American prospects for the 2016 NHL Draft heading into the 2015-16 season (courtesy of Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images and CHL Images)

With the 2015 NHL Draft in the rear-view mirror, the next draft class from North America in 2016 features a deep group from the United States and the OHL. With Auston Matthews in the news lately due to his interest in playing abroad, that offers an opportunity to take a look at the top draft-eligible skaters from North America. Read more»